Rusty Knights
by ZageTheTemplar
Summary: Lordy, I guess the story was much shorter in my head, but it turns out to be long, heck the real meat isn't close, actaully it is somewhat.
1. Chapter 1

(Another, section that continues Crash stranded.)

Now in a jail cell... Sort of since its a fully incase room as the only hole out is a grate on teh metal door, its a tad dark yet there is enough light.  
However I can figure away, but why the hell did they take my shirt, I still have pants on thank god... To be honest I hate it when other people argue about my size, but really I think its my dad's side, he over sizes the average man. A good person unfortunately to lift so short, at the same time, my grandmother side, we could live for eons, and in terms of mass numbers, I'm at 4, he was at 5. Not so big, but its complicated. At the mean time my main objective, is getting out of this cell, I tested the loseness of the door, my octo watcher yells at me,"Shut up in there, willya!" She then sneezed as she looked tired for a moment, has she lacked sleep? If she did, then I could atleast come up with someone, however there are no grates I can see and in this cell is a bed and outside of the cell is her. I sat on the bed, laying down and noticed the cell is quite average to be a cell, I can only assume, 12 feet by 12 feet. The bed isn't worse and to be honest I prefer this over a pilot seat, they are either to damn comfy or uncomfortable. So no vents, sturdy steel door, and I assume durable as fuck glass, no bars or anything, infact, if there were bars I could have easily twisted them or even bend some of them assuming they are not industrial steel. However I feel myself lighter than a while back. The Octo guard patrols the cell, looking through the glass then to the cell door. A tad hard to hide without being notice, can't "disappear", but if only I could make the guard come into the cell and investigate. Fake a suicide yet I would need ketchup for that, so all I can do is wait. I lay down on the dirty bed, old but I had worse. Laying down, looking at the ceiling soon falling asleep.

zzzzzzz

A voice calls out,"Ok everyone, the hunt begins. This time you won't be using rubber bullets but live rounds. You know the drill bring back a worthy prey and yourselves alive. If it's too much to handle, go home." The voice others call Boss, a voice recruits call sire, a voice I call father. He looks like an imposing figure, taller than the average man. He is strong to protect the ones that can't protect themselves, his spirit is weak, but his heart is strong.  
He is my father.

I look to my left and right, to see young faces, ones that see war up close. Some are humans, some are not, those are of variations of my kind. We look to the shorelines of an island, a hostile one that was home to the first second global war. Machines on legs roam, fauna and nature reclaim it. It became the hunting grounds. I faced forward as my father walked into view looking at us all, shouting out, louder than the wind,"You have the cloths on your back, a brace with a steel knife that is your friend, its your only friend between foes and yourself, a sword on your back, a compound bow on your back, a carbon knife on your side, these will help you, if you can't handle this, want to go live a normal life, leave my deck." I stood still, others left as only 10 stayed, 11 of us stood our grounds, I only hunted simple dear, beavers, Centipaars, large bugs of our world. Narrow tallon jaws with talons of their own that can rip their prey apart.

I have wandered the forest for hours as I run into some of the new recruits trying to start a fire, failing as I call out to them,"Step aside, your gonna waste your time doing it that way, I have a lighter, smuggled out." I some of them step away, terrified as I ripped some leaves in my way and shed them up as I take the flip lighter out and spread the leaves among the wood pile as I light them on fire. A small ember as it slowly build up with added leaves. I add more using the bush around, building up to an acceptable fire as the kids around huddle up, as they look at me as I sit down... I wonder why tehy are here,  
to be a knight, do they even know what it means to be a knight? A kid, a young katten, the feline of my race said to me, an accent that tells he came from a desert waste,"You know as if you have been here before yet you are of a high title, why are you here with such a title that is beyond recruit?" I look to him as I simply responded,"I gain the high title of hunter, not knight, my father is a Templar Knight, we are long from it, he may be my father doesnt mean I have it easy, I'm like the rest of you, a new recruit, the cloths on my back, with the sword and bow, a knife on my side and a blade on my right, 30 arrows on my back, not a single one spent, how about all of you?" Even if we are not working together, I still worry. Another kid, human as his skin dark, I don't believe in racial supiority. He checked the knife that was given as he joins into the consversation," You would say, not an arrow spent, I don't think but the sire saids a worthy prey, what does he mean by that?" The others look around confused as I gave an honest answer,"Prey that took more skill to take down than a simply hare or deer. If we stick together, then we have a chance, let me help and just say you took it down, I more ways than the simple hunter.  
However anything bigger is suitable to me, as they are much harder to take down, all of you take down predators such as bears and wolves."

We sat around the fire as teh wind picked up and I can tell we are gonna split up at some point as anotehr kid asked me a question,"So if an orange porcupine like you is considered a master hunter why hunt here even sneak and hide from your prey when you are able to out run them, over power them." From a human girl as I looked to her and smiled, responded with,"For one I'm a hedgehog, porcupines have no moral code and are imaginary. We hedgehogs feast upon meat,  
fruit and the tears of angels, which taste like chicken." They all laughed as chuckled a bit, a bullshit answer as I actaully answer her,"I hunt here because to earn the title knight, I use stealth because its exciting, plus I don't abuse my abilities, never know when I can't use them if I rely to much on my strength."

Weeks have passed, birds flying across the sky over head as the local fauna flee, I know what approaches, a beast of stone and ruins. I walk as to find myself standing on a grassy plain to see a colossus rise from the ground, an acient elemental that might have slumbered for years. I walk further into the clearing. It stands on four with the torso of a man, a worthy prey. I took out my bow and load an arrow, aim, then release. It's not gonna do any harm, but to get it's attention as I start running towards it. It turns to see me as I stook out from the green plains, the clouds dark over head as the stone tower walks towards me. I unsheathed my blade raising it to the little light tehre is as it glimmers, only to get the light into the beast's eyes, being an annoyance like an ant to house owners. The tower raises a leg and stomps the ground, I stumpled but it didn't do much since I learn to keep my balance when such beast use their weight to their advantage.

ZzzzZzzz

(ZzzzZzzz)


	2. Chapter 2

(ZzzzZzzz)

Zzzzz

I jumped up and grabbed on the rugged rocks, pulling myself up with the behemoth moving, making it harder for me to climb. I just have to avoid being seen,  
since I can be easily thrown off. Getting to the joint as I draw my blade and stab between the moving stones as the behemoth falls. Its hard to see the full beast, but I can still make out where to strike. Getting a grip hold as the behemoth slams onto teh ground as I quickly climb up and on my feet, running up along the leg as I see the beast's eyes and a patch of vines. Jumping onto the patch and stab between the eyes as it cries in pain, I feel bad, but its a danger to others nearby as I keep thrusting my blade in as a strange black fluid sprays out. Giving one last thrust, one last stab, it collapses as I hang on tight and jump off as I put my blade back onto my back and continue running as I slip, falling into darkness.

I woke up, sweating as I look around, just to make sure it was a dream. I do not want that dream to continue. Something I did, makes me sick, something I had to do. You can't change the past, but I can change the future. I look to my jailer to see her asleep on the ground as the door opens outside of my "cage" as another Octlin walks in as the one asleep wakes and stands up in split seconds as she walks off, out through the door as "my" new jailer watches as I waited.  
After a few minutes her scent is familiar. Until I remembered the recruit, her eyes amber. I walk to the glass wall as I call out to her,"The recruit I took pity on, with eyes of a newly recruit." She gotten flustered and yet she didn't yell out as she went to the door as I walk there as well, but keep my distant from it. She took her goggles off as her eyes I can see clearly, but mine will seem unnatural to her as they glew faintly. She responded to my comment,"What do you mean? I never met an Inkling with eyes like that." I smiled to be surprised to know the name of what I'm currently am. A simple conversation is nice.

"So got a name? Mine's Zack. I prefer to know the one I let go name." I said with sincerity as she stratches the back of her head, I think, I do not know if they have bones or not as she responded, I guess she has warmed up... I think since we really didn't have a real conversation."Well I have many questions and by our last encounter, you didn't understand a word I said."Well she saw what I really was and probably freaked out about it, but there isn't a point hiding. I looked away a bit as I look back to her, only saying what I expected,"What are you and where did you come from?" I took a deep breath, clear my throat, respond trying to keep things simple.

"I'm an alien to your kind but where I'm from we call ourselves Mobians and I was a hedgehog. Coming from a distant world and no, if you think there is a "probing" involved, there is not, that could be quite offensive to some. I was rejected from my homeworld, I was the only one capable of space travel. I was born on this planet long long ago. My ship was incased in a comet made from a dangerous, toxic green crystal like material we call Bexium, that can kill anything that touches it or the worse is mutate it, but it seems some of hte material has crashed here so my first priority is rid the planet of the material so no one would get hurt, but these beast will slay those that are also mutated by the green crystals. It seems one has taken what you call an Inkling.  
That is my story nothing more, I just want to get out here so I can continue to rid the planet of the material. Only I can slay them."

She looked down, confused and shakes her head, responding to my story," That is hard to believe and hard to think that we are not alone, but even if you told me that, no one would believe me... I I need to lay down, I use this time to sleep." She sat in a nearby chair and feel asleep as I sat back down onto the bed. Waiting yet again, not knowing where those things are.I can only watch this octo walk by as she suddenly jumped and twitched firing off her weapon uncontrollably. I ran up to look through the window to see my good friend Zap, I call out to him,"Zap I could kiss you, but much later, try atleast get that door open." He grab something off the belt of the octo as he comes to the door and somehow tosses them through the bars, I'm not gonna question it, but being grateful I just pick up the keys, lean out of the bars and let myself out as I pick up Zap. Now for my stuff, others would say what so special about a sword.  
That blade is special to me, for a good reason. Aside being considered as a future or modern weapon, but it was forged, made, tempered, remade, infact, its the same shape my great grandfather used, just improved. The blade's name has been the same. I run out of the cell room and to realized, more hall ways. They have to have a room to store stuff from prisoners. Opening doors to be greeted by an Octo, right away I picked up Zap and touched her with the whiskers, as she tensed up and fired at the wall until her gun is out, fall onto the ground, stunned, won't be getting up any time soon, her heart is still beating.

A sense I have, even in complete darkness, I can still sense heart beats. In the cell was an Inklin as he has his eyes wide. I went to the door and unlock it as I said teh few words with force,"Get your things and make a run for it, NOW!" He ran out quickly, he had a knotted tentacle it seems. He better make his feet run for home, I searched other cells but the last one I searched, was a different prisoner, but instead this one didnt have a knotted tentacles, on the side and longer as I realized it was a she from the scent alone. I walked to the door, about to unlock it however the key, unfortunately breaks. She looks at me as her eye twitched, I couldn't imagine how long she was in here. So I left the cell and searched the very last door for it to contain my stuff, my knife and my sword as its still in its sheath. I went back to that last prisoner, with all my might I cut the door off the hinges as I pull it off. She looked scared as I motioned her to leave, she did and soon gone, 3 there were and now out of the cell. I now head out through the door and dived behind some crates.  
An odd scent coming from them as I continue on, but that feeling before, my bones... Vibrate is what they feel like... A threat is much closer than I expected. The entire dome shook as the high ceiling gave in and down comes some spidered shape beast, but its hide looks to be covered by rusted junk metal. Hiding is now pointless as the octos attempt to fight back. I jumped over the crates and draw out my blade, I could feel the scars split.

(To be continued)


	3. Chapter 3

(Last time, Zack saved 3 inklings and able to recover his things but only to be stopped by another beast.)

I look at it, its body segmented that is similar to a spider with a stinger end. That moment I saw an octo shocked, unable to move as I dash in, swinging my blade as the tail comes down, causing the creature to recoil as I pick up the octo and get her out of the way. Some of these beast would risk a small amount of their energy to regenerate so I better do as much of dismemberment as possible before attacking its core. It trikes me by smacking its tail down as I side step out of the way and made an under swing cutting off more sections of the tail. They can't adabt on the fly, it takes time, for some its months or weeks.  
I quickly jump onto the back as its core stocks out with a thick membrane covering it, the core acts like both an eye, brain, even some of the functions that can allow it to recreat other organs that are considered needed, like a single cell, but on a bigger and much dangerous scale. However something is odd, when I landed on the back it sounded solid, a shell?

I look around as it bends some of its legs, pointing its attention to me as I keep a close eye. With it striking, I remove each limb that strikes as it soon stops as it just tries to shake me off. The shell though, nothing to get a grip on however some of the octos try fighting the beast as it did nothing. Yet I don't know what it has up its sleeves so attacking the core directly would be too hasty, infact by instinct, that would be the main focus to attack. I would focus on making sure the octos don't get hurt yet its harder. That moment I felt it building up a surge of energy, I know what its gonna do.

A risk I must take, I focus, clear my thoughts as I feel energy rush through me as my body glows of the green crystals in my body, I quickly run to the mouth piece and Slam my blade down as it shrieks out in pain. I didn't lift the blade out, but with the position its in, I give the handle a firm grip, then pulled forward as it now focuses its attention on me. Yet something is odd as it begins to stumble, the ink covered ground, its making a slick surface, it can't use energy to regenerate and fight at the same time, they store energy in different ways, I can only assume the energy cells are in the shell. I take the blade out, hacking and slashing at the core, removing the soft membrane, then hitting its shell, through normal means are high ordinances and long iron ammo.

The true core now lyes before me, that moment, I could hear the screams of innocents, suffering, death. It makes me sick to my stomach as I slice the core down the middle. It stops moving, the faint green glow stops, it should return to a bexium pool yet the dismembered limbs and the torso it self begins to fade to a black shade, the color going into the core itself as I kneel down, sheathing my sword and put my hand into the pool. Feeling the toxic gel seap into my skin as its just an empty bowl. I felt sick again but then light headed, falling onto my knees then, landing onto my back. Blacking out. Have I...  
Become corrupted? I question I constantly ask myself yet not knowing at the same time. Its a constant nightmare, in a dream and awake, the thought of killing the ones I care for yet I can't control.

That moment, one that haunts me as I hold a gun against a kid, someone similar of my age, his eyes filled with terror. His left shoulder has a bexium shard.  
I could see his vains glow green, it be painful, he would have suffer. Yet I have to do this, the hardest thing I have to do. My father can't do it. I look away. Pulling the trigger as I can feel teh heavy revolver hammer back up. It drops on the loaded bullet in the cylinder.

Right away I sprung awake as I rush to some restrooms as I look in the mirror quickly, the scars are back on but I'm atleast still sane. I turn the faucet on washing my face. I turn the water off as I look up at the sink, have the scars that protrude from my eyes and yet I'm still what the octos call an inkling.  
How am I like this is still a question. The scars will heal though only if I have a positive outlook, something my father told me long ago. Wait a minute...  
... I collapse on the shell of a large bex creature and I wake, to running in here... Where am I really? Looking around as I notice to be a in a shower room and I heard a soft female voice,"Are you alright?" I turned to see a tired octo wiping the sleep from her eyes as I try to think of words to say, but responded with,"Yes, I am. Just didn't feel well. Is all..." I felt vervous and confused at the same time. She nods and left the door way as I walked out of the wash room and noticed the lack of light, as I saw the empty bed I sprang from and every other bed filled. About I think a total of 8 beds however I can't tell because of how dark it is. I should be questioning this but after what I saw, I'm gonna worry about it later. These scars are not pleasant to have when you have others wondering whats causing the green glow or why they are even green in the first place.

That night wasn't so peaceful as dreams are just haunting memories, that I try so hard to let go, letting go of the past. Something that is difficult to let go.

I wake up and instantly I do what is a habit. I take off the shirt I had on and take out the knife, making sure the tip is shrap and curved. Carvings and runes decorate my torso and its tradition for a warrior of my kin...The last I am assuming is to keep the carving fresh, its not until I'm older they are perminant as others could mistake them for tattoos. However I really didn't notice that I was being watched as the octos, with a darker color thanh the normal ones so I assume these are the commandos as they... Were to close for comfort as one of them had their hands on my arm... So what I'm muscular, it's not a big deal. Getting up and walk into teh wash room looking at my self in the mirror. What I assume are ears on the side of my head and two two tentacles drooping down on the side as there are 6 other tentacles but smaller and on the back of my head as my skin is quite pale, I should get some sun on, but I realized something was wrong, Zap is no where to be seen.

(What happened to Zack's fishy friend? Does it seem quite fishy to be in an actual bed that isn't a jail cell? Find out next time.) 


	4. Chapter 4

(Continuation from last chapter)

I whistle out as Zap from a vent hopped into teh sink as he wore a collar that has a buckle but the buckle seems to be made from the same metal as the tanks the octos used. "I have no idea how you got in here but I really don't care but as long as your alright." I said to him and pet him on the head. Walking back to the bed, putting the shirt back on and put my foot under the bed to hear a slightly metallic clank, I quickly reached under and pull my sword out from under.

Still in its sheath as I strap it onto my back and sort of late to realized that my shirt is torn a bit. I need to get something better, something thin enough for me to wear some armor on top. I really don't like the idea of taking a direct hit to my skin. I took few blows however they don't seem that severe but having a scar that glew green would be strange so I not only need a mask but something durable and easy to fix. I see the same octo with the amber eyes as she approaches me, she seemed nervous about some as she was about to speak I intercepted,"Before you say a thing I like to know your name first."

She jumps responding right after," Code number 3M8B3R." I hated the sound of the name so I'm gona be honest with it as I said with including my dislike,"I'm gonna call you Ember from now on, I hate the sound of random numbers and letters, makes the person sound more like a machine, but you are your own person.  
What is it you need, I have questions myself." She nodded as Zap jumped in joy at her presence, that put a smile on her face as well as a smile on mine.  
Is it odd that I see someone happy or just smiling. She then continue to speak,"Well there are 3 Inklings and they want to speak to you, they also have one of our own." something that I'm gonna come as close to a hostage situation, but I can make things work out. I stretched and looked at her as I motion her to lead,"Lead the way, but maybe you could answer some questions." She nodded and starts walking out as I follow.

Me: So after taking that... Think down why am I in here with the commandos and not back in a jail cell?

Ember: Well we were impress to see how far you snuck in and how you got out of prison and let alone escape, we were impressed so after you single handedly took that... Spider thing, we thought maybe you could... Teach us, I guess, teach us your ways of being a fighter.

we walked down a few flight of stairs as Zap hops along side.

Me: Teach you my ways of being a soldier, that be kind of hard to do, I was a soldier for many years, seen combat than a normal kid would, I fought many foes and used many kinds of weapons in some many situations.

Ember: Many years? How old are you anyways?

Me: I honestly don't remember, my kin can live for years and yet still be young. I have suffered in the past and seen others suffer. I do not want the same for others.

Ember:Really now, I'm sure you don't have it hard around here.

Me: Hard around here? What do you mean by that?

Ember: Well these domes are lifted up over an abys, kept afloat by massive gravity platforms.

Me: Gravity platforms? Funny, your kind must be far more advance than mine, we haven't made such a thing until we were able to make ships for multiple trips to a rusted planet that was further away.

Ember: That really sounds more like science fiction, yet what I have seen, it scares me to know we are not alone.

Me: Well we were scared as well to know my kind wasn't alone as well, but what about this problem.

Ember: We are facing power issues and don't have reliable ways to keep energy flowing nor a steady power source.

Soon we near the ground floor as Zap continues to hop around happily.

Me: Well if my kind does land here, I will pull a few strings to make they can build generators to keep your home afloat. There is no need to repay me.  
I like helping others and defending the weak, Templars is what my kin is.

Ember: Templars, I only heard of them in fiction and are considered power hungry.

Me: That is fiction but my full name is Zack Templar, we raise our blades for the weak, we raise are shields for the weak, we fight for the people. In some cases we will dethrone tyrants. I don't want to talk about it, I don't like talking about my past.

Ember: It must trouble you I gues.

Me: well the one thing being a soldier that sticks with you, is your entire squad getting wiped out, with you only the survivor.

Ember: Must be sickening.

We soon come up to a closed fenced with wooden crates stacked up and 2 octos with what seem to be sniper rifles as I can tell the inklings hiding behind crates.

Me: First off what do you call your kind.

Ember: Some of us we are called Octolings and others as Octarians.

Me: Well let me do the talking and tell your soldiers to lay their weapons down, Zap lets go.

I walk on as the gates open and Zap hops on by my side as this isn't the first hostage situation I have done... 


End file.
